


Hints of Magic

by callmeflo



Series: a Mage's Bane [3]
Category: Moren-Ezen
Genre: Gen, Hallow's Eve Event, Mage Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 12:51:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21271343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/callmeflo/pseuds/callmeflo
Summary: The stars are bright out tonight where I’m camping.





	Hints of Magic

_October 29th_

_Same as every year, I’m expected back home for All Hallow’s Eve - as if the spirits of the restless dead will catch me out in the prairies. Not that anyone there would dare utter a word about spirits or magic, too proud of their utter denial._

_The stars are bright out tonight where I’m camping. It reminds me of the stories my mother used to tell of growing up nomadic, and their legends about each constellation. It’s been a long time since I made up tales about the brightest star of that night being king, surrounded by his guards._

_I look at it now and think of it as a mage of old, standing apart from the mundanes that disbelieve his very existence despite how bright he shines._

_In two days we’ll sit round a bonfire as if the flame isn’t lit to scare away demons, and the kids will dress up as monsters that we pretend are just fairytales, and we’ll bless our food from the harvest but won’t name the God we’re praying to. As if I still belong there._

✧

All Hallows Eve approaches Nawra on the north west edge of the badlands. She’d spent the last month on a long loop through the winding paths of the Aeslend mountains, urging Madsie up steep peaks and traversing the unsteady, rocky ground in search of good views. Her makeshift binoculars were unpacked from her saddlebags what seemed like every five minutes as she pulled the reins for a halt and surveyed every direction.

In some places the valleys open up in just the perfect line to give her a good shot at the snowy lands further north, allowing her to see the blurry mass of arctic herds wandering on their migratory trails, flurries of snow obscuring their details. In others it’s miles of flat lands, just sand after sand after sand as far as her eyes can see, low dunes doing nothing to stop her from watching the trade routes and following the well trodden paths of nomadic groups across the Ethereals.

She’s on the home stretch as planned and will make it back in perfect time for the celebrations, just another couple days ride through the thinning edges of pine forest and then out into the grassy steppe. Madsie’s dark feet are sure and sound on all terrains as she picks her own path, reins loose to allow her the freedom, the primitive striping on her legs and spine showing her ancient, wild ancestry that had thrived on these grounds for centuries before humans came to ruin it all. Nawra absently winds her long fingers in the streaky locks of mane in front of the saddle.

They’ve certainly come along way from four years ago, then a pair made up of an apathetic, trapped girl and her unwanted, guardian-touched filly.

Just ahead is a clearing between jagged cliff faces, where the rock is flat and smooth and a perfect place to stop. It’s worn around the edges where many feet have scuffed the surface smooth, and in the centre a ring of stones and ash have been left - this is obviously a good campsite and has been used over the years by many groups of people, and will be in the future too; there’s no use clearing up and hiding the evidence of it.

Madsie is steered easily through the scratchy dry brush and up into the barren glade, and stands perfectly ground tied when Nawra drops her reins past her ears. The mare breathes a relaxed sigh as the girth is undone and saddle removed, knowing her day’s work is over, and happily helps herself to the pile of sweet oats her owner tips out from a bag.

It’s a quiet night and her bow and arrows will be within reach, so Nawra collects some of the dead debris and strikes a spark for a small fire. Especially beside it and sheltered from the wind by the high walls, the night is warm enough and her clothes thick enough that she doesn’t need to pitch a tent or lean to. The woman settles down with her head nestled on a soft saddlebag.

“There’s no need to worry, girl,” she whispers, and Madsie looks over like she understands. “It’s only a few nights and we’ll be back out in the wilds.”

The mare blinks calmly back at her, reassuring in her silent confidence, and Nawra feels at once much safer.

Above them, the stars twinkle like glints off the points of a crystal shard. There’s no cloud or mist, and the fire is the only source of light to disturb the dark backdrop, so what seems like every single star is in view. As Nawra lowers her eyelids she can almost see slashes of white light being drawn from star to star that join up to constellations and create an endless tangle of overlapping shapes that move like a stop motion show.

Her sleepy eyes glaze over a little as the patterns dance in her mind. Andromeda’s elegant arms stretch wide, and not far away the dragon’s wings open like a butterfly’s. Cepheus ignites like fire between them but the Goddess reaches out a finger and captures it, reshapes it, turns it into flaming feathers for Pegasus.

Drowsy, Nawra rolls over and watches her horse for a moment. Madsie has her head held low, sleeping easier than her rider, with her long mane in tatty plaits just brushing the dusty floor. Her blood markings look rusty and black in the dark but the firelight gives them red highlights, streaks of fresh blood amongst the dry.

The dun Jibita sucks in a deep breath and snorts it out again, her ribs expanding around her huge equine lungs. For a moment all Nawra can see is the magebane catching fire in the low golden light - the splashed shape of the markings less like blood and instead like flames licking up at the night sky, taking on a facade of Pegasus and their burning wings.

_But no_, is her last nonsensical thought as she drifts off, _it’s not me and Madsie who can control fire._

**Author's Note:**

> Nawra and Madsie head home for All Hallow's Eve, and experience some hints of magic along the way. this is for the Hallow's Eve Sources of Magic prompt, and also the first Mage prompt.
> 
> Word Count(1026 WC), Horse + Rider(+2), Event Entry(+2), Personal Work(+1) = 15EP for Nawra and Madsie


End file.
